


The guards themselves

by Hypatia_66



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Ethical Dilemmas, Gen, Moral Dilemmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 01:17:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21027887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypatia_66/pseuds/Hypatia_66
Summary: LJ Short Affair challenge. Prompts: midnight, boy, silverWhen they are sent to remove or eliminate an elected dictator, Napoleon has doubts





	The guards themselves

Alexander Waverly’s domain in the New York headquarters of UNCLE was an oasis of calm in an often-fraught enterprise. It remained so as he talked to one of his Section One peers over an encrypted line. “As a supranational organisation,” he said, “we surely have an obligation to deal with corruption – even in the highest echelons of a state.”

He listened to the response with raised eyebrows. “I see,” he said. “In that case, I will send my top operatives. They will endeavour to render assistance without making any demands which might impinge on your personal safety.”

<><> 

“A corrupt individual, apparently determined to crush all democratic opposition, has been elected in this small state here,” said Waverly, pointing to the map. “He regards as traitors anyone speaking out against him. One of the results is that the police have taken his robustly-expressed attitude as an opportunity to behave with impunity against not just minor criminals or street children and the homeless, but ordinary citizens who support another party.”

“Is this a case of _quis custodiet…_?_” _said Kuryakin.

“…_ipsos custodes_. Yes indeed, Mr Kuryakin. I see you are familiar with the Satires of Juvenal.”

His agent smiled deprecatingly, and said, “Very slightly, sir, but the concept was also raised by Plato in _The Republic_.”

Solo, who lacked a classical education, rolled his eyes at this demonstration of its results and said to his partner, “I’m surprised you were encouraged to read such subversive literature.”

“We weren’t,” said Kuryakin, dryly. “I read Plato when I was at the Sorbonne. The French insist on a philosophical component in their education system. It teaches you how to question what you are told.”

“I wouldn’t have thought you needed …”

“Gentlemen!” Waverly interrupted, “Please. There are serious matters to discuss.”

Kuryakin, a faint smile twitching his lips, turned a limpid gaze towards him. Napoleon sat back composing his features, and prepared to engage with the problem.

Waverly glared at them both until their expressions had settled into properly subordinate attention and continued, “This state of affairs cannot go on.”

“What do you want us to do?” said Solo, “kill him?”

“Certainly not … at least not unless you have to. That would be playing his game, but you must deal with him."

A slight tightening of jaws, and clenched teeth, betrayed the frustration his agents so frequently felt when their chief landed problems straight into their lap without offering solutions of his own.

<><> 

It was already past midnight but Napoleon had allowed himself – much against his better judgement – to become involved in philosophical discussion with his partner. Illya was lying across one of the beds in their hotel room, perfectly relaxed while Napoleon sat stiffly in a chair, unusually disquieted by their mission.

“It seems to me, that removing let alone killing an elected leader, however evil, puts us in a pretty bad place morally speaking,” he said.

“Then we have to resolve the ‘kill one to save many’ conundrum - I think you call it ‘the trolley dilemma’.” Illya sat up and turned to Napoleon. “The man we must … disable, if you prefer… operates under a more cynical rule: ‘kill one and terrify a thousand’. It’s a very successful policy, but not in a democracy.”

“Won’t we be terrifying a thousand, too?”

“A thousand tyrants, maybe,” said Illya. He paused, thinking. “The dilemma for us – morally speaking – is the difference between collateral damage and agency. If this man is placed in a position in which he is likely to be ousted, or even die - but not by our hands – that’s collateral damage. Our hands are clean.”

Napoleon held his hands out. “Not take the blame; keep our lily-white hands clean? Oh boy. And do we get the thirty pieces of silver, too?”

Illya raised a finger, and continued, “But if we are the agents of his demise: we pull the trigger, we push him off the bridge – even to save others – our hands are sullied.”

“Both positions sound morally bankrupt to me,” said Napoleon. “How can you know that there won’t be unintended consequences of any action?”

“Ethical dilemmas are always insoluble,” said Illya, rapt in his appreciation of a philosophical difficulty. “Every solution has consequences beyond what is immediately obvious.”

There was silence for a while then Napoleon, who had been looking out of the window, roused himself from his reverie. “Then it’s time to put our espionage skills into operation. We have to work with the opposition. They’re the only solution.”

“That’s one response to the conundrum. To let others resolve the situation so that we may appear morally pure,” said Illya, very dry. “It’s a dirty profession, Napoleon. If we want to keep our hands out of the filth, we must guard the guards themselves.” Then he added provocatively, “But who guards us?”

“Our moral compass,” said Napoleon loftily.

Illya snorted.

**Author's Note:**

> 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?': Who guards the guards themselves? Juvenal: Satires VI, lines 347-348. Also a concern of Socrates in Plato’s Republic.
> 
> 'Kill one; terrify a thousand'. Sun Tzu: The Art of War


End file.
